Uzbek Activists Jailed, Fined Over Ukraine Embassy Protest

TASHKENT -- A court in Uzbekistan has sentenced three activists to 15 days in jail and fined four other activists for participating in an unapproved protest in front of the Ukrainian Embassy in Tashkent.

Eight activists, including a prominent Uzbek photographer and her son, were detained on January 29.

Oleg Karpov, the husband of photographer Umida Akhmedova, said on January 30 that his wife, son, and two other activists were ordered to pay fines of between $900 and $1,350.

He said three activists, including a Ukrainian citizen, Artyom Lyudniy, were sentenced to 15 days in jail.

An eighth activist remains in pretrial detention.

The activists protested in front of the Ukrainian Embassy on January 27 against a violent crackdown by Ukrainian authorities on antigovernment and pro-European demonstrators.

With reporting by Lenta.ru, Fergana.ru, and AFP

RFE/RL's Radio Ozodlik is one of the only sources of reliable news and information for people in Uzbekistan. The country remains one of the most repressive in the world in terms of media freedom and human rights issues.